He rang the bell sharply, and then crossed back to Stratton, and shook his hand again. "You've behaved very well indeed, my lad," he said; "and I like you for it. I never knew your father, but he must have been a gentleman. Your mother, Becky's friend, was as sweet a lady as I ever met." The butler entered. "Mr Barron gone?" "No, Sir Mark." "Don't matter. Go and ask Miss Perrin to step down here." The butler bowed, and left the room. Stratton started from his seat with his face ghastly. "Hullo, my lad! what's the matter? Time for action, and afraid to meet that saucy little thing. I say, you scientific fellows make poor lovers. Hold up, man, or she'll laugh at you." "Sir Mark!" gasped Stratton. "Ring again--a horrible mistake on your part." "What the deuce do you mean, sir? You come and propose for my niece's hand--" "No; no, Sir Mark," cried the young man wildly. "What! Why I've seen you attentive to her a score of times. I say again, what the deuce do you mean? Why--why--you were not talking about my own child?" "My words all related to Miss Jerrold, Sir Mark," said Stratton, now speaking in a voice full of despair. "I never imagined that you could possibly misunderstand me." "But, confound you, I did, sir. What the devil do you mean by blundering out such a lame tale as that?" "Want me, uncle dear?" said Edie, entering the room. "No, no, my dear. Run along upstairs. You're not wanted. I have business with Mr Stratton here." Edie darted a frightened glance from the choleric, flushed countenance of her uncle to Stratton's, which was almost white. "Oh, poor Mr Stratton," she thought as she drew back. "Then he did not know before." The door closed, and Sir Mark turned upon Stratton fiercely. "Why, confound you, sir!" he began; but the despairing face before him was disarming. "No, no," he cried, calming down; "no use to get in a passion about it. Poor lad! poor lad!" he muttered. Then aloud: "You were speaking, then, of Myra--my daughter--all the time?" "Yes." Only that word in a despondent tone, for he could read rejection in every line of the old sailor's face. "But I always thought--oh, what a confounded angle. This is not men's work. Why isn't Rebecca here? Mr Stratton, this is all a horrible blunder. Surely Myra--my daughter--never encouraged you to hope?" "Never, sir; but I did hope and believe. Let me see her, Sir Mark. I thought I was explicit, but we have been playing at cross purposes. Yes; ask Miss Jerrold to see me here--in your presence. Surely it is not too late to remedy such a terrible mistake." "But it is too late, Mr Stratton; and really I don't think I could ever have agreed to such an engagement, even if my child had been willing." "Sir Mark!" pleaded Stratton. "For Heaven's sake, let's bring it to an end, sir. I never imagined such a thing. Why, man, then all the time you were making friends with one cousin, so as to get her on your side."